The GLP-1 Weight Loss Craze: How Did We Get Here?

GLP-1 drugs are being hailed as the new weight loss miracle. Social media is plastered with GLP-1 influencers chronicling their weight loss success. And high-profile celebrities like Oprah and Elon Musk have even given them their stamp of approval.

But what are these drugs exactly – and do they live up to all the hype? Read on for the lowdown on GLP-1 medications, how they work, and what you should know if you’re considering them. We’ll also look into what’s driving the obesity epidemic and how we got here in the first place.

But first, let’s start with some basics.

What are GLP-1 medications?

GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs that mimic glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone made naturally in your small intestine. The GPL-1 hormone helps regulate your blood sugar. Because of this, these drugs are used to treat type 2 diabetes.

However, over time, people taking these drugs noticed an unexpected side effect: weight loss. This left drug manufacturers scrambling to understand the science behind their weight loss effects. And it skyrocketed demand for these drugs, with many touting them as a weight loss silver bullet.

What do they do?

As mentioned, GLP-1 agonists mimic the effects of the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone. They bind to GLP receptors, triggering the effects of GLP-1.

Here are a few roles GLP-1 plays in the body:

Increases insulin. GLP-1 triggers the release of insulin from your pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that converts glucose into energy. It gets glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells. This, in turn, lowers your blood sugar.
Blocks glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone that increases your blood sugar. GLP-1 prevents too much glucagon from entering your bloodstream.
Slows down digestion. GLP-1 delays gastric emptying. Meaning, it slows your digestion down. This slows glucose absorption, which helps prevent drastic post-meal blood sugar spikes.
Lowers appetite. GLP-1 acts on the hunger and satiety parts of your brain. It promotes a feeling of fullness, which can lead to reduced food intake.

GLP-1 breaks down rapidly within a few minutes. However, GLP-1 medications are formulated to stick around much longer. This slows down the rate of digestion, so you feel full faster and longer. And that’s exactly why these drugs can lead to weight loss.

List of GLP-1 drugs

Ozempic gets the most attention, but there are several GLP-1 medications out there. For now, most are only approved for diabetes. However, a few of them are now approved for weight management.

Here’s a peek at some of the GLP-1 meds on the market:

Medication	FDA approval status	Patients
Ozempic® (semaglutide injection)	Type 2 diabetes	Adults
Rybelsus® (semaglutide tablets)	Type 2 diabetes	Adults
Mounjara® (terzepatide)	Type 2 diabetes	Adults
Byetta® (exenatide)	Type 2 diabetes	Adults
Trulicity® (dulaglutide)	Type 2 diabetes	Children (ages 12+)
Victoza® (liraglutide)	Type 2 diabetes	Children (ages 12+)
Saxenda® (liraglutide)	Weight management	Adults and children (ages 12+)
Wegovy® (semaglutide injection)	Weight management	Adults and children (ages 12+)
Zepbound® (tirzepatide)	Weight management	Adults

As you can see, most of these drugs come as injections. Meaning, you have to give yourself a daily or weekly shot in your belly, buttocks, or outer thighs.

A top down view of six GLP-1 needles as hands adjust them. This could represent the stress of using weight loss drugs that a holistic doctor in Orland Park, IL can address. Learn more about the standard American diet and how a weight loss program in Orland Park, IL can help you today.

While the majority of them are only FDA-approved for diabetes, healthcare providers can still prescribe these drugs “off-label” for weight loss.

Weight loss results vary depending on the medication and dose. However, research suggests people can lose as much as 15% of their body weight by taking semaglutide injections over 68 weeks. According to clinical trials, weight loss often plateaus after about 60 weeks.

So while these drugs are effective, they’re not a quick fix. And they’re not without their flaws.

Downsides of GLP-1 drugs

One of the biggest drawbacks of these drugs is that they have to be taken forever to maintain weight loss. Research shows one year after stopping semaglutide injections, people regained two-thirds of the weight they’d lost.

This brings us to another major issue: cost. Saying GLP-1 drugs are expensive is putting it lightly. A monthly supply of GLP-1 meds runs about $1,000 a month without insurance. This makes them out of reach for many people, especially for long-term use.

GLP-1 drugs also come with several potential side effects. By far, gastrointestinal side effects are the most common, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

However, GLP-1 medications can also increase the risk of:

Pancreatitis
Gall bladder disease
Gastroparesis (stomach paralysis)
Thyroid cancer
Kidney problems

More research is needed to understand the risks of taking these weight loss drugs long-term.

Health experts are also raising concerns that GLP-1 drugs may contribute to disordered eating. Since these drugs suppress appetite, taking them may cause people to develop restrictive eating patterns. Not to mention, people with a history of eating disorders may actively seek them out.

So while these drugs serve a purpose, they do have a dark side. But with obesity being a growing public health concern, these drugs aren’t going away anytime soon.

The obesity epidemic

A close up of a person grabbing their stomach fat. Learn more about the effects of hormonal weight gain in Orland Park, IL and how diabetes functional medicine in Chicago, IL can help. Contact a holistic doctor in Orland Park, IL to learn more about Shape ReClaimed in the Chicago area.

Overweight and obesity have been on the rise for decades. But before we dive into the stats, let’s clear up what overweight and obesity mean.

Overweight and obesity are based on body mass index (BMI). BMIs between 25 to 30 are considered overweight, while those over 30 are considered obese. Any BMI over 40 is labeled severe obesity. Now that we’re on the same page, let’s look at the data.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 8 people live with obesity worldwide.

The stats are even grimmer in America. In 2018, 42.4% of US adults were obese. That’s a huge jump from 30.4% in 1999. What’s more, in 2018, 30.7% of US adults were overweight.

When you do the math, that means close to 3 out of 4 American adults are overweight or obese.

Children and teens are affected too. In 2018, 16.1% of US children and teens were overweight and 19.3% were obese. That means over 1 in 3 children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 were overweight or obese. That’s nearly double the number from 1990.

Keep in mind that these stats are pre-pandemic. So the current data may be even higher.

But it wasn’t always this way. According to the NIH, obesity in the US has tripled over the last 60 years, while severe obesity has increased tenfold. The big question is why. More on this later…

The obesity debate

In the past, obesity was always viewed as a lifestyle condition. However, in 2013, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a chronic disease.

The goal was to reduce the stigma associated with obesity and to acknowledge the health risks it poses. But it also was intended to fuel research and development into new obesity treatments.

And clearly it worked – because 10 years later GLP-1 drugs exploded onto the weight loss scene. Classifying obesity as a disease means health plans will face pressure to cover these meds.

GLP-1 medications do have value. But the idea that the only way to fix the obesity crisis is to take expensive drugs for the rest of your life is extremely disempowering. And frankly, it’s just not true.

The root of the obesity crisis

The obesity crisis didn’t happen by accident, and it didn’t happen overnight. The real root of it is the American food system. Over the years it’s transformed—and not for the better.

Wholesome, home-cooked meals were replaced by packaged convenience foods. Greasy fast food joints popped up on every corner. And foods packed with sugar and artificial food additives became the norm.

A top down of a person eating a cheeseburger with a pizza nearby. Learn more about how a holistic doctor in Orland Park, IL can offer support with Shape ReClaimed in the Chicago area. Learn more about this weight loss program in Orland Park, IL today.

Today, our modern system is dominated by highly processed foods designed to be addictive. In fact, one recent study found that highly processed foods are just as addictive as cigarettes and alcohol!

This is intentional. Food manufacturers put the perfect balance of salt, fat, and sugar into their products until they hit the “bliss point.” This triggers the release of dopamine, the pleasure and reward hormone.

The problem is once you stop eating junk foods dopamine crashes. This makes you crave more junk to get another feel-good dopamine hit. Over time, this can lead to overeating and weight gain.

So, while these GLP-1 meds show promise, they’re not going to fix the obesity epidemic on their own. And that’s because they’re not changing our relationship with food.

A holistic approach to weight loss

GLP-1 medications are a powerful weight loss tool. But the answer to the obesity crisis isn’t more drugs. It’s an overhaul of the American food system.

But until that happens, the power lies with us—to not fall victim to a broken food system designed to keep us sick…

Love ourselves enough to step outside the junk food matrix…

Learn new habits that set us up for health, vitality, and wellness…

Get the support we need to develop a new healthy relationship with food…

And to fuel our bodies with nourishing food and discover the powerful medicine it can be. Because when you do that, weight loss happens naturally.

That’s not to say it’s easy. Creating new habits is hard. But with the right education and support it IS possible. And at Anchored in Health, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Lose Weight in a Healthy, Sustainable Way With Shape ReClaimed in Orland Park, IL

Ready to lose weight and kickstart a healthy, new lifestyle? At Anchored in Health, we help our patients lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way with Shape ReClaimed.

Shape ReClaimed isn’t a weight loss program (although that’s a side effect). It’s a healthy lifestyle restoration plan that:

Cleanses your body of toxins
Balances your hormones
Resets your metabolism
Helps you develop a new, healthy relationship with food

It’s helped thousands of people restore their health and release toxic weight for over 14 years (read success stories here). And it’s safe to use with or without GLP-1 meds.

Live in the Chicago area and wondering if Shape ReClaimed might be right for you? Follow these steps:

Contact us with questions.
Book your first Shape ReClaimed visit with our holistic doctor here.
Feel great and restore your health with this healthy lifestyle transformation program!

Other Holistic Medicine Services at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL

At Anchored in Health, we offer a variety of services to support you on your health and wellness journey. This includes functional medicine, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and massage therapy. We even offer thermography and genetic testing to help you uncover valuable insights about your health.